{"id":3923,"date":"2025-12-01T11:47:29","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T11:47:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=3923"},"modified":"2025-12-01T11:47:29","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T11:47:29","slug":"barcelona-vs-atletico-madrid-la-liga-preview-team-news-start-lineups-football-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=3923","title":{"rendered":"Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid: La Liga preview \u2013 team news, start, lineups | Football News"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Who:\u00a0<\/strong>Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid
What:\u00a0<\/strong>Spain\u2019s La Liga
Where:\u00a0<\/strong>Camp Nou, Barcelona
When:\u00a0<\/strong>Tuesday at 9pm (20:00 GMT)
How to follow:\u00a0<\/strong>We\u2019ll have all the build-up on\u00a0Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.<\/p>\n

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are looking to put down a marker in their respective title aspirations as the sides meet at Camp Nou for a midweek blockbuster.<\/p>\n

\n

Recommended Stories <\/h2>\n

list of 4 items<\/span>end of list<\/span><\/section>\n

Barca sit precariously top of La Liga by a point from second-place Real Madrid after coming from behind to beat Alaves at the weekend for a fourth straight league win.<\/p>\n

Fourth-placed Atletico, who won 2-0 at home to Real Oviedo at the weekend, trail Barcelona by three points.<\/p>\n

Since losing 4-0 away at Arsenal in October, Atletico have now won seven games in a row in all competitions.<\/p>\n

And as Real Madrid were held to a third consecutive La Liga draw in a 1-1 tie at lowly Girona on Sunday, Barcelona and Atletico will hope that they can take advantage of their rivals\u2019 dip in form.<\/p>\n

\"Soccer
Barcelona\u2019s Lamine Yamal celebrates scoring against Alaves on Saturday [Albert Gea\/Reuters]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Flick fumes despite win over Alaves<\/h2>\n

Despite the 3-1 win over Alaves, Barcelona\u2019s boss Hansi Flick appeared close to tears after the game and was consoled by winger Raphinha.<\/p>\n

Flick later said he was angered by some of the officiating, including the referee\u2019s decision to red-card two of his staff members during the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cI lacked communication. I asked the fourth official what had happened, and he told me nothing,\u201d Flick said after the game, saying this was an \u201cendemic problem\u201d.<\/p>\n

But Flick also expressed other frustrations beyond the refereeing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have the control we had at times last season,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to improve, and we can improve many things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raphinha told reporters that \u201cFlick believes that we are not playing at our best, and I agree\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven so, the important thing today was getting the win. We know we are not at our best, but we are working, and I am sure we will get back to playing our best this season,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\n

\ud83d\udea8 Hansi Flick: \u201cAfter the end of the match, Raphinha was telling me the same thing I said last time: We will improve. We will be much better in the upcoming matches\u201d.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfa5 @DAZN_ES<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/vjJaZJdV3e<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 29, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Raphinha back on song<\/h2>\n

A key player in Barcelona\u2019s domestic title double last season, Raphinha looked like his old incisive self against Alaves in his first start in two months since recovering from a hamstring injury.<\/p>\n

He set up two early goals, twice racing in behind the defence on the left side of the area before squaring passes for Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo to score in the eighth and 26th minutes<\/p>\n

Olmo added a third goal in stoppage time when he worked a one-two passing combination with Yamal before firing home.<\/p>\n

Flick praised Raphinha for his effort in attack and defence, above all because his pressing was contagious among his teammates.<\/p>\n

\u201cRafa is a player who is dynamic,\u201d Flick said. \u201cWe missed him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Barcelona's
Raphinha applauds the fans as he leaves the pitch [Josep Lago\/AFP]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Atletico hit their stride<\/h2>\n

Alexander Sorloth\u2019s first-half brace earned Atletico Madrid a 2-0 win over Real Oviedo on Saturday, as Diego Simeone\u2019s side are now unbeaten in 13 league matches after an opening-day defeat by Espanyol and trail leaders Barca by three points.<\/p>\n

Sorloth opened the scoring from close range after 16 minutes and blasted home his second 10 minutes later, with both goals laid on by David Hancko.<\/p>\n

After an inconsistent start to the campaign, Simeone\u2019s side have found their groove.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think now we\u2019re doing well, not just defensively but also offensively,\u201d goalkeeper Jan Oblak told DAZN.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe truth is, we\u2019ve been playing well, but we have to keep it up because the past doesn\u2019t matter. What matters is the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Atletico
Sorloth celebrates scoring against Real Oviedo at the Metropolitano Stadium [Javier Soriano\/AFP]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Simeone says breaking records meaningless without a title<\/h2>\n

Atletico have become the first team in La Liga history to score first in each of their opening 14 matches; however, coach Simeone said he cares about trophies rather than records.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t attach that much importance to it,\u201d Simeone said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish this would win you a title, but it won\u2019t. It\u2019s a compliment. Any further comments will depend on what we do against Barca.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe won a match we had to win, and now comes a very tough one, a difficult one, against an opponent we know very well and who has enormous potential, even more so with the return of Pedri and Raphinha. We\u2019ll face a very tough opponent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Head-to-head<\/h2>\n

The two clubs have faced each other 246 times, with Barca recording 112 wins to Atletico\u2019s 77, while 57 of the games ended in a draw.<\/p>\n

Barcelona have got much the better of recent La Liga encounters, with the hosts seeking to record a seventh victory in the last eight league matches.<\/p>\n

But Atletico did win 2-1 at Barcelona in December 2024, with goals from Rodrigo De Paul and Sorloth.<\/p>\n

\"BARCELONA,
Barca fans in the stands at Camp Nou [David Ramos\/Getty Images]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Barcelona\u2019s team news<\/h2>\n

The in-form midfielder, Fermin Lopez, will miss a second consecutive game due to a calf problem, while fellow midfielder Gavi and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen remain ruled out through injury.<\/p>\n

Defender Ronald Araujo missed the game against Alaves on Saturday due to illness and is likely to miss out again.<\/p>\n

Barca will get a significant boost, though, as Pedri, Jules Kounde, and Frenkie de Jong are set to return to action, while Eric Garcia is expected to be available despite being forced off at half-time against Alaves.<\/p>\n

Barcelona\u2019s predicted starting XI<\/h2>\n

Joan Garcia; Kounde, Eric Garcia, Cubarsi, Balde; de Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski<\/p>\n

Atletico\u2019s team news<\/h2>\n

Midfielder Marcos Llorente misses his third consecutive match with a thigh injury, while centre-back Robin Le Normand is unlikely to feature as he continues to recover from a knee problem.<\/p>\n

Despite scoring a brace against Ovideo, Sorloth may have to be content to make an impact off the bench as Julian Alvarez is expected to lead the line.<\/p>\n

Atletico\u2019s predicted starting XI<\/h2>\n

Oblak; Molina, Gimenez, Hancko, Ruggeri; Cardoso; Simeone, Barrios, Koke, Baena; Alvarez<\/p>\n<\/div>\n